We are so old, Ansset said.

Josif nodded. We've forgotten nothing in all that time. And learned nothing.

Ansset smiled. Maybe we have.

"Some of us.

You're so dour.

Maybe, Josif said. We don't build things like this anymore. We're far too sophisticated. We just put a fleet in orbit around the planet, so that instead of a fortress sitting like this on the edge of the sea, the fortresses cast their shadows over every centimeter of the soil. It was a frightening time then, Ansset, but there were advantages.

I understand they defecated and kept it.

They didn't have converters.

In piles. And put it in the fields so the crops would grow better.

That's China. Oh.

It was better then in one way. There were places a person could hide.

Josif sounded so wistful that Ansset became concerned. Hide?

Countries that were still undiscovered. Just crossing the water to Eire would have been enough. A man could have hidden from his enemies.

Do you, Ansset asked, have enemies?

Josif laughed bitterly. Only me. I'm the only one.

And more than ever since he had been imprisoned in Mikal's rooms in the palace, Ansset longed for his songs. But he had no song, could not sing comfort for whatever fears haunted Josif. He knew that, in part, Josif was afraid of him; he wanted to sing the love song, to tell the man that Ansset would never do him any harm, that in the last few months, and especially in the last few days, Ansset had come to love him as he also loved Kyaren, the two of them, in different ways, filling part of the huge gap left inside Ansset with the loss of his songs.

But he could not sing it, and he could not say it, and so Ansset reached out and stroked Josif gently on the shoulder and down the arm.

To his surprise, Josif immediately pulled away from him, turned and ran down the stairs. Ansset followed almost immediately, and almost ran into Josif where he had stopped, at the door leading onto the walkways atop the walls. Josif turned to face Ansset, his face twisted and strange.

What's wrong? Ansset asked.

Kyaren's coming here tomorrow.

I know. I'm looking forward to it, I've missed her.

So have I.

But I'm glad she was gone, Ansset said. Or I would never have come to love you.

Josif walked away then, and Ansset, not understanding, did not follow.

All the rest of the afternoon and into the evening, Ansset puzzled it over. He knew Josif loved him, and he knew Josif loved Kyaren-such things couldn't be lied about. Why should there be anything difficult about it? Why should Josif be in such pain?

He went to the room where Josif was supposed to be, and found someone else in it. Where's Josif? he asked, and the security guard who had been assigned those sleeping quarters shrugged. I just sleep where they tell me, sir, he said.

Ansset went straight to Calip, who was responsible for room assignments. Where's Josif?

Calip looked surprised. Don't you know? He said that you had asked him to move to another room. So he'd be closer to the library.

What room?

Calip didn't answer immediately. Instead he fidgeted, then said, Sir, did you know that Josif is a homosexual?

Hardly an exclusive one, Ansset answered. Do you have special rooms assigned for homosexuals?

I wasn't sure if you knew. We thought-we thought he looked so agitated because he had made advances. And you had objected.

When I object to something, I'll tell you. He didn't make advances. He's my friend, I want to know where his room is.

He asked us not to tell you. He wanted to be alone, he said.

Do you work for him or for me?

Sir, Calip said, looking very upset. We thought he was right. Your friendship with him is good, but it's gone far enough.

Am I, or am I not, planet manager? Ansset asked, his voice icy,

Calip was immediately afraid-Ansset's voice could still do that, especially when he was imitating Mikal's most terrifying command voice.

Yes, sir, Calip said. I'm sorry.

Has anyone told you not to take orders from me?

Summoning his courage, Calip said, Sir, it's only proper for me to advise you when I think you're making a mistake.

Do you think I'm a fool? Ansset asked. Do you think I lived in the palace all those years without learning how to take care of myself?

Calip shook his head.

When I ask for something, your only duty, Calip, is to find the quickest way to do it. What room is Josif in?

And Calip told him. But his voice was trembling with anger. You listen to the wrong people too often, sir, Calip said. You should listen to me from time to time.

It occurred to Ansset that Calip might be right. After all, Mikal and Riktors had listened to all their advisers, all the time, before making important decisions. While Ansset had gradually been closing himself off to everyone but Kyaren and, in the last few days, Josif. But in this case Calip's advice was unwelcome and inappropriate. Legally Ansset was an adult. It was none of Calip's business-it was a matter for friends.

He found the room with no trouble, but hesitated before knocking, trying again to understand Josif s motives, his reasons for shutting Ansset out so abruptly. He could think of none. Josif's emotions were not concealed from Ansset-the boy knew perfectly well everything that the man wanted and did not want. Josif wanted Ansset, and did not want to, and Ansset did not know why. It could not be because Kyaren would be jealous-she was not prone to that sort of thing, and if Josif wanted to make love to Ansset, she would not mind. Yet Josif acted as if Ansset's very touch were poisonous, though Ansset knew Josif had been wanting that touch.

He did not understand, had to understand, and so he knocked on the door and it opened.

Josif immediately tried to shut the door again,-but Ansset slipped inside. And when Josif then tried to leave, Ansset shut the door, and stood there, looking Josif in the eyes. Why are you at war with yourself? he asked the man.

I want things, Josif said thickly, that I do not want to want. Please leave me.

But why shouldn't you have what you want? Ansset asked reaching up and touching Josif's cheek.

The struggle was clear on Josif's face. He wanted to hurl Ansset's arm away, but did not. Instead he did what he wanted more. As Ansset's fingers reached along Josif's neck, Josif's own hand moved, glided along Ansset's face, outlined his lips and his eyes.

And then, abruptly, Josif turned away, walked to the bed and threw himself on it.

No! he cried out. I don't love you!

Ansset followed him, sat beside him on the bed, ran his hands along Josif's back. Yes you do, Ansset said. Why do you want to deny it?

I don't. I can't.

It's too late, Josif. You can't lie to me, you know."

Josif rolled back, away from Ansset, and looked up into the boy's face. Is it?

I know what you want, Ansset said, and I'm willing.

And the war in Josif's face and voice ended, and he surrendered, though Ansset still could not figure out why the war had been fought at all, or what fortress had fallen. Josif had won, but Josif had also lost; and yet Josif was getting what he longed for.

Josif's touch was not like the touch of the guard who had lusted for Ansset when he first came to Earth. His eyes were not like the eyes of the pederasts who visited the palace and hardly heard Ansset's song for looking at Ansset's body. Josif's lips on his skin spoke more eloquently than they had ever spoken when only air could receive their touch. And Ansset's questions began to be answered.

And then, suddenly, when his feelings were most intense, Ansset was startled by a sudden pain in his groin. He had not been exerting Control-he made a soft, inadvertent cry. Josif did not notice it, or misunderstood it if he did. But the pain increased and increased, centering in his loins and spreading in waves of fire through his body. Surely this pain was not normal, Ansset thought, terrified. Surely they don't always feel this, every time. I would have heard of this. I would have known it.